In-line roller skating is a physically beneficial sport that allows users to take advantage of the activity's low impact, high aerobic benefits. In-line roller skates, which have been patented and produced by many companies since the 1880's, are undergoing a current resurgence of popularity. Along with the increase in their popularity, there has been an increase in injuries resulting from safety hazards inherent in their usage. Traditionally, in-line roller skates have had little or no braking capability and frequently involve their users in accidents resulting in severe injury and in some cases fatal injury.
The in-line roller skates, also known as tandem roller skates, utilize two or more wheels arranged in tandem on the skate so as to rotate within the same vertical plane. Typically, the wheels or rollers are made of a resilient material and arranged with four rollers mounted in tandem from the front of boot to the rear of the boot. With this arrangement, all of the rollers are in contact with the ground at the same time, simulating the speed, maneuverability, balance and performance of ice skates.
The movement of the in-line roller skates by a user is usually achieved by gravitational forces such as rolling down a hill. This forward movement of the in-line roller skates may be hazardous if the hill is steep and the user develops an excessively high speed. As can be appreciated, the attainment of an excessively high speed using a conventional in-line roller skate can easily lead to injury in that the user may very likely be required to fall at a high speed to stop the skate.
A common method of controlling this speed is by turning off course or slid slipping across the hill. However, turns using an in-line roller skate to control speed may be a problem when the speed is excessively high. This method of reducing speed is also hazardous since it too can cause the user to fall at high speeds.
Another method of controlling speed is to drag a braking device attached to the front or rear of the skate against the ground. Several current in-line roller skates do come with a braking device which is attached to and extended downward from the skate frame. This type of braking device basically consists of a cylindrical-shaped braking pad that has a central threaded stud which is affixed to the rear of the skate frame with a locking nut and screw. To slow down the user's speed, the brake pad is pressed into frictional contact with the ground.
Unfortunately, this type of braking mechanism requires the user to operate the brake by clumsy if not dangerous foot movement since the user must lift the front of one skate to drag the brake while precariously balancing and steering with the other skate. In addition, these passive types of braking mechanisms have presented a problem to beginners not yet proficient in the use of in-line roller skates and in some cases experienced users have found that the scope of the possible activity on such recreational devices is limited by the lack of a selective braking control.
Advances in in-line roller skate brakes have been focused more on the material of the brake pad, than on the braking mechanism itself. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,058 entitled "HUB AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY FOR IN-LINE ROLLER SKATE." Moreover, no braking system has achieved any degree of popularity for in-line roller skates despite the invention of one or more braking devices for conventional roller skates and skateboards.
Thus, there is a need to provide a braking device for such in-line roller skates that is safe and simple in its use, which can be inexpensively incorporated within existing in-line roller skate design.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a wheel braking assembly for small recreational vehicles such as roller skates and skateboards to increase their safety and maneuverability without impeding the normal operation of their wheels.
Another object is to provide a braking apparatus for small. recreational vehicles such as roller skates and skateboards that applies its frictional force to the outer surface of the wheels instead of the ground.
A further object is to provide a braking mechanism that can be controlled by the rider wherein the brake shoe or disc is hand activated remotely by an operable squeeze device connected to the brake by a conduit, eliminating the need to operate the brake by foot movement.
It is yet another object to provide a brake which will operate only on the front and rear wheels of an in-line roller skate to prevent lock up of the two inner wheels should the brake be applied while traversing uneven surfaces.
It is still a further object to provide a brake which will operate only on one wheel of a skate in order to limit the wear to one wheel, and thereby reduce the cost of manufacturing and operating the skate while still providing a braking action to the skate.
It is yet a further object to provide a braking assembly for skating which may be used in areas previously considered too dangerous for skating.
It is yet another object to provide a braking apparatus that allows the skate's wheels to be locked, which permits the user to walk up or down stairs and walk in areas where skating is inappropriate or unsafe.
It is still another object to provide a braking apparatus for small vehicles which is simple in design and use, and economical to manufacture.
The foregoing objects and advantages of the invention are illustrative of those which can be achieved by the present invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible advantages which can be realized. Thus, these and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description herein or can be learned from practicing the invention, both as embodied herein or as modified in view of any variations which may be apparent to those skilled in the art.